BACOLOD City – The City Engineer’s Office (CEO) has been urged to upgrade the city’s streetlight system.
In a resolution, the Sangguniang Panlungod urged the CEO to upgrade the streetlight system by installing solar-powered light emitting diode (LED) streetlights all over the city.
Solar street lights are raised light sources which are powered by solar panels generally mounted on the lighting structure or integrated in the pole itself.
The solar panels charge a rechargeable battery, which powers a fluorescent or LED lamp during the night.
The resolution authored by Councilor Em Ang cited Republic Act No. 9153 (Renewable Energy Act of 2008) sought to increase the utilization of renewable energy by institutionalizing the development of national and local capabilities in the use of renewable energy systems, and promote its efficient and cost-effective commercial application by providing fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.
It added that solar-powered LED streetlights are environmentally-friendly because they are solely dependent on the heat energy given off by the sun.
They are also energy and cost efficient because they are maintenance free and last more than 13 years or 50 thousand hours, the resolution added.
Ang said the use of solar-powered LED streetlights would also provide a whiter light that promotes better visual acuity at night.
Solar-powered LED streetlights could significantly reduce the city’s electrical and maintenance expenses, she added.
Most solar lights turn on and turn off automatically by sensing outdoor light using solar panel voltage.
Solar streetlights are designed to work throughout the night. Many can stay lit for more than one night if the sun is not available for a couple of days. Older models included lamps that were not fluorescent or LED.
Solar street lights consist of four main parts:
- solar panel – most important part of solar street lights; it converts solar energy into electricity
- lighting fixture – LED is usually used as lighting source of modern solar street light, as the LED will provide much higher Lumens with lower energy consumption.
- rechargeable battery – stores the electricity from solar panel during the day and provide energy to the fixture during night
- strong pole – necessary to all street lights, especially to solar street lights as there are often components mounted on the top of the pole: fixtures, panels and sometimes batteries/PN
